CB Setup

Ok I've got a Bearcat 880 with just the factory coax cable and antenna. Would like to get a little more out of it. Any suggestions? Low cost effective upgrades, no need to compete with the ham radios just trying to fine tune it a little.

Have you tuned it in with a SWR meter?

All radios come from the factory, with a little more power left on the table.

But the most critical part of efficiency, comes with the proper mounting an tuning of the antenna.

Best thing you can do - is to drop into a radio shop at a truck stop, and invest the $30-50 (typically) to make sure your antenna is setup and tuned correctly.

When people talk about SWR's - they are talking about "standing waves" - which in a nutshell means - power that is not getting out of the cable/antenna, because of bad grounding or improper tune of the antenna to the radio.

Rick

I run two terminator 2 series steel whips( about 50 a piece) with two Mini 8 coax cables( about 20 a piece) to my Bearcat 980. I have the coax attached using a T connection and the whips dropped down as far inside the coils as they will go, this has me at 1:0:0 on SWR on all 40 Chanel's and all 80 sidebands as well. I just had the radio tweaked peaked and modded so I can push out further but you don't need to do that. With just the Whips and coax though I was pushing out good and receiving damn good. Try that setup if you want this same setup worked wonders with my 880 as well.

Something else I just remembered if you're goo to run steel coil whips you'll need maxi mounts which cost about 20 a piece and you'll need 2. All In all you'll be in about 180 by the time it's done but you'll have a sweet setup.

Thanks, I go right by a CB shop tonight. Maybe I'll have time to let him check & tune it, then go from there. I was looking at the Terminators & the Wilsons

I've tried the wilsons but I seem to get better range from the terminator with the 2 of them set up right and offset from each other with a good coax you should get some good distance I was getting about 4 miles out of the box before I had it modded.

Thanks, I go right by a CB shop tonight. Maybe I'll have time to let him check & tune it, then go from there. I was looking at the Terminators & the Wilsons

I am a Newbie, Do you have to have a CB Radio?

You don't have to but it sure makes life a lot easier. When you go to pick up or deliver a load, a lot of guard shacks use them coming in and out. Getting traffic updates can be a big help, coming up on an accident and knowing what lane to be in to get around it. Or knowing you need to be on the brakes around the curve or over the top of that hill cause traffic is stopped. Sometimes just good conversation if you can weed out all of the nonsense.

I am a Newbie, Do you have to have a CB Radio?

Kris, I bought a Uniden PRO 5620XL on Amazon for $45.00. 4.5 out of 5 star rating. Does the same thing as the fancy chrome ones with a bunch of extra knobs and lights. all CB radios have approximately the same range. 2-4 miles. Power is limited by FCC.